BISHOP ONAGA BANS CATHOLIC FAITHFUL FROM ATTENDING FR MBAKA’S ADORATION MINISTRY
REPORTER: CHUKWUBUIKE MADU
The Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, the Most Rev. Callistus Onaga, has banned the clergy, the religious and the laity from attending all activities at Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka’s Adoration Ministry.
This is contained in a statement signed personally by the bishop.
The ban follows recent utterances of Rev. Fr. Mbaka against the presidential ambition of the Labour Party candidate, Mr. Peter Obi.
Fr. Mbaka had, in a recent video that went viral, described Mr. Obi as stingy, insisting that a stingy man could not rule Nigeria.
However, in a swift reaction, the Catholic Diocese of Enugu in a statement jointly signed by the Auxiliary Bishop, the Chancellor and the Vicar General of the diocese, condemned Fr. Mbaka’s outburst and distanced itself from his comments, which it said was personal to the priest.
As if that was not all, the Bishop of the diocese, the Most Rev. Onaga, banned Catholic priests and lay faithful from activities at the adoration Ministry, saying that comments of Fr. Mbaka were against the Catholic teachings.
The statement also indicatee that the priest had consistently violated all directives against making political utterances.
“In the light of the happenings in the Catholic Adoration Ministry Chaplaincy Enugu: capable of undermining the Catholic faith and teachings; and after several fraternal corrections and admonitions to Fr. Camillus Ejike Mbaka, the Chaplain of the Ministry.
“And after having given him pastoral directives and guidelines for the Ministry Chaplaincy, which he persistently violated; and in fulfilment of my pastoral duties as the Chief Shepherd with the obligation to promote and safeguard the Catholic faith and morals in Enugu Diocese, I hereby prohibit all Catholics (clergy, religious and lay faithful) henceforth from attending all religious and liturgical activities of the Adoration Ministry until the due canonical process initiated by the Diocese is concluded.
“My decision is based on the fact that some of the teachings and utterances of Fr Camillus Ejike Mbaka at the Catholic Adoration Ministry are not consistent with the teachings and faith of the Catholic Church.
“I enjoin all the Christian Faithful to keep praying for Fr. Mbaka and the Catholic Diocese of Enugu as I entrust him and the Diocese to the maternal care and protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of the Apostles,” the statement concluded.
Meanwhile, Fr. Mbaka had on Friday, in a statement he signed, apologised to his followers and youths on his comments against Mr. Peter Obi, which many had reacted against on the social and the mass media.
The backlash that thrilled Fr. Mbaka’s outburst against the Labour Party presidential candidate is said to have forced the priest to render the apology.
In the statement, Fr. Mbaka claimed that his utterances were not to malign the character of Mr. Obi, who he described as a friend and urged those who wanted to support the presidential candidate to do so as he would pray for his success and other presidential candidates.
